I'm with you Merman, if he's asking for too much (4.0), I would let him walk and see what's out there. Between the amount we are giving to Malkin and Sid, plus Fleury, I'm not sure how much more money we can throw at our defense.

Just thinking out loud here, but if the potential signing of Guerin or Fedontenko falls through, how would the board feel about a guy like Steve Sullivan? I know he's 34 and has had injury issues but the guy can still score as evident by his 32 points in 41 games last season. Maybe he would sign a one year deal at a decent amount to show the league he can still play?

Just thinking out loud here, but if the potential signing of Guerin or Fedontenko falls through, how would the board feel about a guy like Steve Sullivan? I know he's 34 and has had injury issues but the guy can still score as evident by his 32 points in 41 games last season. Maybe he would sign a one year deal at a decent amount to show the league he can still play?

What I'm hearing out of Nashville is that he wants to go to a contender, but he also wants more years. I'm not sure if it would be wise of the Penguins to give a long-term deal to a guy who will be 35 years old in July and is coming off a two year back injury. If he wasn't looking for a long-term deal, I would consider it, but I would pass on him and look at the other options availabe.

If the Pens are looking to sign an older veteran who brings leadership and production to the table for one year, Mike Knuble is a very solid option. Personally, I would look to guys like Tanguay, Gionta or Cammallerri if the price is right. Like I said before, Cammallerri's price tag will probably end up being too high for the Pens, but Tanguay and Gionta are possibilities.

The Penguins would like to re-sign left winger Ruslan Fedotenko. He is schedule to become an unrestricted free agent June 1.MONTREAL -- The Penguins would like to re-sign Ruslan Fedotenko.

Fedotenko seems interested in returning.

That's a good start on negotiations but does not guarantee they will be able to settle on a contract.

Asked last evening if there is reason for optimism that he can re-sign Fedotenko, general manager Ray Shero responded, "It's hard to say."

Shero met with Fedotenko's agent, Allan Walsh, here yesterday. "We made it clear we'd like to have him back," Shero said.

"We had a good discussion," Walsh said, but he did not elaborate.

Fedotenko, signed as a free agent from the New York Islanders last July, made $2,250,000 on a one-year deal. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency again if not signed before July 1.

There seems to be significant interest in Fedotenko around the league, especially in the wake of his strong performance at left wing on Evgeni Malkin's line during the Penguins' Stanley Cup run.

The Penguins have $48.6 million in salary-cap space committed to 15 players for the 2009-10 season. The cap ceiling for next season is supposed to be announced in the next few days, but the Penguins are proceeding as if they expect it to be around $56.7 million, or perhaps slightly higher, for the second year in a row.

Walsh also represents wingers Petr Sykora and Miroslav Satan, two other unrestricted-free-agents-to-be. The Penguins seem certain to let Satan walk and might opt against offering Sykora a contract, but Shero again declined to say which players he will not make an effort to retain.

Shero has discussed a contract for veteran right winger Bill Guerin with agent Bob Murray and said he would like to get something done before July 1, although that will not necessarily happen. Guerin likely would have to accept a one-year deal and a significant reduction in the $4.5 million he made in 2008-09 to make his return workable for the Penguins.

Although some big-name players (or their negotiating rights) -- Dany Heatley, Vincent Lecavalier, Jay Bouwmeester, Ryane Clowe and Tomas Kaberle -- have figured prominently in trade discussions leading up to Round 1 of the entry draft tonight at the Bell Centre, apparently the Penguins have not been involved in those talks.

"We're not looking to trade anybody," Shero said, adding that he is not interested in making a trade simply to free salary-cap space.

Although some big-name players (or their negotiating rights) -- Dany Heatley, Vincent Lecavalier, Jay Bouwmeester, Ryane Clowe and Tomas Kaberle -- have figured prominently in trade discussions leading up to Round 1 of the entry draft tonight at the Bell Centre, apparently the Penguins have not been involved in those talks.

If only. Ryan Clowe is probably my favorite non-Penguin in the league. Talk about a guy who would fit right in with our team's intensity and instantly become a fan favorite. To bad the Sharks are asking something insane like a 1st round pick and Clowe is looking to cash in Ryan Malone style...

Unlike last season's draft, this one will be a little more eventful and definately more important for the Penguins. We are going to need a big draft this year in order to make up for last year's draft in which we only selected four players, two of those picks being goaltenders. We need to start replenishing our farm system. A draft like the one we had in 2007 would be nice.

Picking at #30, taking the best player available will be the obvious strategy. Who will that player be? I have not a clue. While it's a decent draft, it's nothing to write home about. There are some names that should still be around when we pick. Ryan Button, Jordan Caron and Zach Budish come to mind. Nick Leddy or Drew Shore would be nice additions, but I'm not sure they will be around by the time we pick, Shore in particular.

While it's not Penguin news, there's a big trade brewing...

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The Boston Bruins are in pursuit of Tomas Kaberle and a top 10 pick in today's draft.

Sources tell TSN the Bruins have offered restricted free agent forward Phil Kessel to Toronto in exchange for the Leaf defenceman and Toronto's No. 7 pick in the draft.

The Leafs are apparently canvassing the league to see if there are any better offers out there.

Kessel, taken fifth overall by the Bruins in 2006, scored 36 goals and 60 points last season, his third campaign in the NHL. With restricted free agent David Krejci signed to a long-term deal and the team pushed up against next year's salary cap, general manager Peter Chiarelli was rumoured to be shopping the young scorer.

Kaberle completed his 10th season with the Maple Leafs in 2008-09 and has two years left on his contract worth $4.25 million a season. While he has a no-trade clause, Kaberle's contract allows him to be dealt during a small window in the offseason that opens with the commencement of the draft tonight.

A source confirmed the trade offer to ESPN.com, although another source from the Leafs said the seventh overall pick "is not in play." Also, the window for Kaberle's no-trade clause disappears once the draft starts tonight, so any deal involving him would be on hold until then. Unless, of course, he waives his no-trade clause today.

Boston GM Peter Chiarelli was asked about the trade when he met with a group of us reporters today at 11 a.m. ET.

"Yeah, I saw that first thing," Chiarelli said. "I woke up and saw that on a Web site. I don't comment on that stuff."

MONTREAL -- The Penguins could know by tomorrow if they'll be able to re-sign right winger Bill Guerin.

General manager Ray Shero said yesterday that today or tomorrow, "we'll turn more attention to Billy to see if we can get something finalized before July 1 to bring him back."

He seemed optimistic that an agreement can be reached before Guerin becomes an unrestricted free agent Wednesday.

"I've talked to him about the parameters of a deal to come back," Shero said. "We'd like to have him back, and I think he wants to come back."

Things seem more murky with winger Ruslan Fedotenko, who also will be unrestricted Wednesday.

"We're a little bit [apart] on that, I think," Shero said. "We'll see where that goes, early next week as well. We have to have another conversation or two."

He added that he expects defenseman Rob Scuderi to test free agency, but did not rule out having him return.

"Guys who go to July 1, sometimes, they come back, sometimes they don't," he said. "[Scuderi testing the market] won't surprise me, won't shock me, won't disappoint me because if it's meant to be for Rob to come back, he knows we'd like to have him back."